Artificial bait



Aug. 4, 1953 H. H. WALKER ET AL 2,647,340

ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed Oct. 10, 1951 m/mwraes wry )7, WA?

Kara/d L. WK?? BY W'M ATTOR/VEVJ Patented Aug. 4, 1953 ARTIFICIAL BAIT Harry E.

Walker and Harold L.

St-Paul, Minn.

Walker,

Application been, 10, 1951, "Serial No. 250,694 i I Our-invention relates generally to fishing hires and, more particularly, to improvements therein designed tofacilitate carrying and transportation of the same, and to prevent the hooks thereof 'from becoming entangled in clothing and'the like during such movement. I

More specifically, it is the object of our invention to provide a fishing lure in which the barbed ends of the hooks may be safely positioned against thebody of the lure so as to allow the bait to be carried even in the pocket of a fisherman without fear of the same becoming en tangled in the fabric ofthe pocket. I -A still further object of our invention is the provision of a fishing lure having the abovedescribed safety features without detracting from the efficiency or fish-catching potentialities thereof. I

Astill further object of our invention is the provision ofa hook-equipped fishing lure which may be shipped in relatively large numbers without fear of the hooks thereof becoming enmeshed or entangled-thereby greatly reducing the cost of shipping, packing, and the like.

.The above and still further objects of our in vention will'become apparent 'from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and. attached drawings. l

' Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views: 7

' Fig. 1 is a plan view of our novel structure;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in plan of a modified form of our invention;

Fig.5 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of one end of a hook element of our invention.

Referring with greater particularity to Figs. 1-3 inclusive of the drawings, the numeral I indicates an elongated body, preferably circular in cross section and having a tapered rear portion 2. A screw eye 3 on the forward end of the body I permits attachment thereto of a fish line. It will be noted that the body I is provided with a transversely-extended well or bore 4 which extends therethrough, preferably and as shown immediately forwardly of the tapered rear end portion 2. Received within the bore 4 is an elon- '5 Claims. (Cl. 43 42.41)

gated sleeve element 5 which is rigidly locked in place therein by means of a screw 6, the head 'I of which is flush with the surface of the body' I. Theopposite ends of the sleeve 5 eachterminate' in a pair or laterally spaced' ears 8 which project laterally-outwardly of the bore -'4 antibody I. Ears 8 are provided with aligned apertures 9,one each of which is adapted 0. pivotally receive an opposed trunnion I 0 on the shank II of hook elements I2. The barbed ends of the hook ele-' ments' I2'are identified bythe numeral I3.

It will 'be noted that the pivotal connection hook elements I2 from the operative full lineposition of Fig. 3 to the inoperative dotted line position thereof. The inoperative position of-:"tlie hook elements I2 is likewise shown by Figs. 1 and 2;" It will be noted that, in the operative positiomthe barbed ends I3 of the hook elements I2 project laterally-outwardlyfromthe body- I rearwardly of the bore 4, whereas said'barbed ends I3 are in engagement with the body I forwardlyof the bore '4 when'the hook elements I2 are moved to their inoperative positions Pref-' erably and as shown, the hook 'elementsllare of the type having two barbed ends I3 projecting in radially spaced relationship from a common shank m "'1 -A I coil spring I4 received within the '-sleve"5 hasits opposite ends I5'hooked over cross" pins IIioarriei'lby' the shanks I I of the-hook elements I2 in offset -'relationship to the pivoted trunnions II]. It will be noted that the spring I4 biases the hook elements I2 toward engagement with the body in operative or inoperative positions thereof. It will likewise be noted that spring I4 is of sufficiently small diameter to permit same to be laterally shifted from the full line to the dotted line positions of Fig. 3 without engagement of same with the walls of the sleeve 5 as the hooks I2 are swung from the operative full line to the inoperative dotted line positions of Fig. 3.

In the modified form of our invention illustrated in Figs. 4-6 inclusive, the elongated body I! is of the spoon type, the line-receiving opening on the forward end thereof being identified by the numeral I8. In this form of invention, a tubular grommet I9 extends through the body I'I, preferably and as shown, adjacent the rear end 20. It will be noted that the grommet I9 has a depth corresponding substantially to the depth of the spoon at the point of penetration. Opposite ends of the grommet II are formed to provide laterally-spaced ears 2! having aligned apertures 22 therein. Pivotaliy received within the apertures 2| are the trunnion-forming ends 23 of the shanks 24 of hook elements 25. The barbed ends of the hook elements 25 are identifled by the numeral 26. A coil spring 21 is received within the grommet It with its opposite ends hooked over cross pins 28 on the shanks 24 in slightly cfiset relation to trunnions 23 thereof. It will be noted that the spring 2'! is sufficiently loosely received within the grommet 19 to permit same to be shifted laterally as the hook elements 25 are moved from the operative full line position of Fig, 6 to the inoperative dotted line position thereof.

While we have illustrated a preferred and one modified form of our invention, it is obvious that the same is capable of still further modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is: l A fishing lure comprising a body having therein a transversely-extended bore intermediate its ends, a hook element including a shank and a barbed end, mean pivotally mounting the shank of said hook element over said bore for swinging movements of the barbed end thereof from an operative position wherein said barbed end extends laterally-outwardly of said body rearwardly of said bore to an inoperative position wherein the barbed end is in engagement with said body forwardly of saidbore, and a coil spring in said bore, said coil spring having one end anchored to said shank in ofiset relation to the pivotal connection thereof, said spring biasing said hook element toward engagement with said body in either of said positions.

2. A fishing lure comprising an elongated body having a transversely-extended bore through its intermediate portion, a pair of hook elements each including shanks and barbed ends, means pivotally mounting the shanks of said hook elements one each over opposite ends'of said bore for swinging movements of the barbed ends thereof from operative positions wherein said barbed ends extend laterally-outwardly of saidbody rearwardly of said bore to inoperative positions wherein the barbed ends are in engagement with said body forwardly of said bore, and a coil spring extending loosely through said bore, opposite ends a 4 ing movements of said hook elements from operative to inoperative positions and biasing said hook elements toward engagement with said body in either of said positions.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the means pivotally mounting the shank of said hook element over the mouth of said bore includes an axially-extended sleeve within said bore, saidsleeve terminating in laterally-spaced ears which project laterdll-y-outward-lyfrom said bore, said ears having aligned apertures therein, and opposed trunnions on the shank of said hook element receivable one each within one of said aligned openings.

LTh-e structure defined in claim 2 in which the means pivotally mounting the shanks of said hook elements includes an axially-extended sleeve within said bore, said sleeve terminating in a pair of laterally-spaced ears at its opposite ends which ears project laterally-outwardly from said bore and body, each pair of said ears having aligned apertures therein, and opposed trlmnions on the shanks of said hook elements receivable one each within one of said aligned openings, and in further combination with means for locking said sleeve within said bore.

5. A fishing lure comprising a body, a hook element including a shank and a barb-equipped end pivotally secured to the side of the body for substantially 180 degrees of pivotal movement of the free barb-equipped end thereof from an operative rearwardly extended position wherein the hook element projects laterally outwardly from the body to an inoperative forwardly extended position wherein the barbed end is in engagement with the body, and yielding means biasing said hook element toward the limiter its movement to operative or inoperative position; 7 HARRY H. WALKER;

HAROLD L. WALKER.

.References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Walker Mar. 14,v 1950 

